The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Colorful three-story multifamily housing.

Affordable Housers Face Deepening Rental Arrears and Ballooning Expenses

Four years after the pandemic first wrought havoc on the American economy, nonprofit housers are being overwhelmed by rental arrears. Can they balance their social mission against their operational realities?

August 6 - Shelterforce Magazine

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland standing in a forested area in Colorado to celebrate recent action by the Biden-Harris administration to withdraw around 220,000 acres in the Thompson Divide area for mineral leasing on 1 July 2024.

How Project 2025 Could Threaten Public Lands

If enacted, the conservative plan could ‘decimate’ public lands and protected habitats.

August 6 - Colorado Newsline

Close-up of red and white "No camping - Violators subject to arrest" sign.

ACLU Sues Washington State for Anti-Camping Laws

In the first legal challenges since June’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that cities can enforce outdoor sleeping bans, the ACLU filed a lawsuit alleging Washington’s anti-camping laws violate the state constitution.

August 6 - Associated Press via ABC News

View looking up at Zilker Studios apartment building in Austin, Texas.

What Makes Affordable Housing Green?

There's no one way to determine what makes “green” housing. Here's a breakdown of the standards and considerations used by the affordable housing industry.

August 6 - Shelterforce Magazine

Train passing through a snowy landscape.

Midwest Connect Train Project Moves Ahead

The proposed rail line would connect Chicago to Pittsburgh.

August 6 - Highland County Press


Green highway exit sign for Thurmont, Maryland.

Sober House Zoning Violations Prompt Questions

A sober living house in Maryland has been repeatedly fined by the city for operating as a boarding house, begging the question, where can these facilities be located?

August 6 - DC News Now

Front entrance of Berryessa BART station in North San Jose, California.

South Bay BART Extension Gets $5.1 Billion in Federal Funding

The grant brings the project closer to reality, but delays and cost overruns are putting a completion date more than a decade away.

August 5 - KQED


Row of green Lime electric bikes parked on sidewalk in Seattle with tree decorated with string lights in background.

Seattle Sees Strong Bike Share, Scooter Ridership

The city’s shared bikes and e-scooters provided half as many trips as a $2 billion tunnel.

August 5 - Seattle Bike Blog

Google street view of two-story white apartment building in Los Angeles, California with "Key West 1940" text above entrance.

LA Officials Struggle to Enforce Short-Term Rental Rules

Hundreds of rent-controlled units are being illegally rented out as short-term rentals, pushing out long-term renters and exacerbating the city’s housing crisis.

August 5 - ProPublica

Worker in yellow safety suit holding up orange SLOW sign on road

Pedestrian Deaths Would Have Risen Without the Pandemic, Study Shows

The alarming rise in pedestrian deaths across the United States was predicted well before Covid-19 provided more opportunities for dangerous driving behaviors.

August 5 - Streetsblog USA

African American man in a wheelchair filling out paper ballot at a polling station with American flags in background.

Making Voting Accessible to Everyone

Voters with disabilities often have a hard time getting to the polls. Mail-in voting helps, but some states are limiting it.

August 5 - Mother Jones

A bus stop in Philadelphia, where people wait under a glass shelter for a bus as it arrives.

SEPTA Faces Service Cuts

Philadelphia wants its city workers back in the office, but getting there may be a challenge.

August 5 - Governing

Spray painted words "Tourist Go Home" on wall in Barcelona illustrate locals' frustration with overtourism.

BLOG POST

Balancing Act: 7 Strategies to Curb Overtourism

What’s a popular travel destination to do? From ice cream bans to “Stay Away” marketing campaigns, cities and countries across the world are getting creative in their efforts to curb the negative impacts of mass tourism and tourists behaving badly.

August 5 - Mary Hammon

Manhattan brick apartments with AC units on windows.

NYC Lawmaker Proposes Mandatory Cooling Law

Despite hundreds of heat-related deaths every year, the city has no regulations on cooling in residential units.

August 5 - Word In Black

Empty street with crosswalk lit by two tall street lights at night.

Study: Crosswalk Lighting Radically Improves Pedestrian Safety

In what should come as a surprise to no one, drivers are much more likely to yield to pedestrians when they can actually see them.

August 4 - Smart Cities Dive

Front entrance of emergency room at hospital in Orlando, Florida.

Heat-Related ER Visits Soar in Florida

The state has the most heat-related hospital visits in the nation, but efforts to create protections for outdoor workers and other vulnerable residents have been stymied by state legislators.

August 4 - Governing

Wood-framed houses under construction with brick-covered completed homes in background.

BLOG POST

Project 2025 and Housing Policy

The Heritage Foundation has issued Project 2025, a list of policy proposals for the next Republican administration. On housing, it seems to embody a range of perspectives.

August 4 - Michael Lewyn

Golden sunset view of New York City subway train on elevated track with Empire State Building in background

New York MTA Officials Warn of Massive Budget Gaps Without Congestion Pricing

The agency will lose hundreds of millions in projected congestion pricing revenue, forcing cuts to expansion plans.

August 4 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of Wasco viaduct built for California HIgh-Speed Rail project.

50,000 California State Fairgoers Visit High-Speed Rail Exhibit

An interactive exhibit offered visitors a glimpse into the future rail system.

August 2 - Newsweek

View of San Francisco from top of hill with Victorian houses in foreground.

San Francisco Bans Rent Fixing Software

The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported a bill that bars landlords from using software that critics say facilitates collusion between landlords.

August 2 - San Francisco Examiner

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